Community Colleges are an alternative system of education which aims to empower individuals through appropriate skill development leading to gainful employment in collaboration with the local industry and community.They offer the advantage of tailoring programmes to local needs and state-based requirements by using approaches that will be most acceptable to workers in the given community. Community Colleges generally have a 2-year curriculum that either leads to an Associate Degree for transfer to an undergraduate college or to the students direct entry into any occupation or trade.These colleges are a source of economic growth because they provide an educated and skilled workforce that improves the quality of life for individuals students, communities, and the nation.

Ans: Anyone who has completed 10+2 or its equivalent is eligible to enroll for the Associate Degree Programme. Similarly students who have completed the BPP Programe of IGNOU may also enroll for the Associate Degree Programme. Eligibility for Certificate Programmes vary from 8th pass and above and that for Diploma Programme vary from 10th pass and above.

… Q: What is the suggested structure of Certificate and Diploma Programme?

Ans: Certificate programmes should be of 6 months‟ duration and equivalent to 16-20 credits. A Diploma programme is of one year duration with 32-36 credits.

The pattern of credits is as follows:

Full-time programmes – one credit is equivalent to 15 contact hours. Part-time / Distance learning programmes – one credit is equivalent to 30 hours of study by a student which includes self-study, assignments, library work, etc. All Community Colleges must conduct theory/practical/in-service/apprenticeship in appropriate proportions commensurate with the teaching methodology.

… Q: How will students transfer from an Associate Degree to the third year of graduation?

Ans: For students who complete an Associate Degree and wish to register for the third year in IGNOU, a credit transfer policy will be worked out between the Community College and IGNOU. The international pattern is to accept about 80% of the credits earned during Associate Degree Programme.

Q: What is the structure of Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme (BPP)?

Ans: Bachelor’s Preparatory Programme has the following three courses.
i) Preparatory Course in General Mathematics ii) Preparatory Course in Social Sciences iii) Preparatory Course in Commerce
A student has to select any two from the above courses.

… Q: Which are the Associate Degree Programmes that can be run through a Community College?

Ans: A Community College is supposed to identify the programmes as per the need of the community. The Master List given on the IGNOU website carries the names of all programmes on offer by the Community Colleges. This would definitely give you an idea.

… Q: What is the minimum educational qualification and age of formal students in Associate
Degree Programmes?

Ans: 10+2. No age bar.

My thoughts: This seems like a good start with some details yet to be formulated. The community colleges will formalize various trade oriented courses and will allow people doing those courses to do a bit more work towards a Bachelor’s degree. At present, there are only a few of these in Odisha. As the awareness increases, it should pick-up. At present most of the current community colleges seem to be run by private entities (the ATDC ones are exceptions). I hope Odisha starts district community colleges in each of its districts and creates a mechanism so that it is funded by district funds and the locals have a say in what is taught.